We want to teach you the intelligent way to buy a diamond — the Mervis way.

As Zed Mervis says, a diamond’s job is to be beautiful. Brilliance and sparkle are the two most important things to look for. Unfortunately, many dealers convince shoppers that a stone’s certification, which shows the 4 Cs (cut, color, clarity, carat weight) but does not prioritize them, is more important than how the stone actually looks in the real world.

This can be misleading. Why? Because it’s the cut that gives a diamond its “wow factor,” and that’s what it’s all about. In other words, instead of being blinded by brilliance and sparkle, some shoppers are blinded by statistics. This is like buying a car based on a brochure, not actually driving it.

Now don’t get us wrong: Certification and the 4 Cs are important; every shopper should pay close attention to them. But never buy a diamond simply because it “looks good on paper.” Remember, beauty is the goal. Your loved one is going to wear the diamond, not the certificate. If the diamond isn’t beautiful, it’s not doing its job.

Diamonds are a marriage of science and art. The science: A diamond’s brilliance depends on how its 58 facets are positioned. The art: Only the skilled touch of an artisan can optimize the brilliance these angles create. For instance, we know that to produce optimal brilliance, the crown angle at the top of the diamond must be 34 degrees and the pavilion angle below must be 43 degrees. But these angles must also interact with all the other angles in the diamond. And all the proportions and ratios must be correct. If one of these elements is off, brilliance will suffer. So, the cutter must have an artist’s instinct to know exactly how much weight to polish off.

These nuances result in one simple fact: Looking at a diamond from only one or two perspectives can be very misleading; nothing but a “panoramic” inspection by a true expert will reveal a stone’s strengths and weaknesses. Other dealers may say a diamond is “perfect” because it has a certificate This is like saying every kid in the class is a genius just because he got a report card. Only an expert, like those serving you at Mervis, can assess “the big picture,” evaluating the technical and artistic relationship between every angle in a diamond. Without the benefit of this comprehensive analysis, it’s impossible to know exactly what you’re getting for your money.

At Mervis, you’ll always know what you’re getting. Our side-by-side comparisons, no-nonsense explanations and clearly presented specifications will let you decide what diamond is right for you — and why. We are experts you can trust to give you straight answers and customized guidance. When science and art meet outstanding customer consulting, that’s the Mervis difference. Some day all diamonds will be sold the Mervis way.

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